Vibrational system for subject proprioceptive impairment study

Abstract

Conventional proprioceptive studies use commercial vibrators. Such vibrators have major drawbacks as their amplitude and frequency adjustments are limited or outside the range of frequency that stimulates the specific human biological sensors making them non-specific to each individual or muscle. At times, they are also expensive and not wearable. The presently disclosed subject matter relates to system and method for custom-developed vibrational systems having various adjustable and flexible parameters such as amplitude, frequency, delay time, and other user requirement functions that can work simultaneously and can be applied to different individuals and to different muscle spots. The presently disclosed system and method are robust, compact, wearable, economical, and easy to operate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vibrational system for proprioceptive impairment study, comprising:
 a data acquisition processor selectively outputting a preamp level vibrational signal having user-determined parameters;   a graphic user interface (GUI) for a user to provide designations to the data acquisition processor to determine parameters of the preamp level vibrational signal output by the data acquisition processor;   an amplifier interconnected with the data acquisition processor for receiving the preamp level vibrational signal and outputting an amplified signal; and   a vibrational tactor for receiving the amplified signal from the amplifier while positioned on a selected area of a study subject, for conduct of a proprioceptive impairment study.   
     
     
         2 . The vibrational system according to  claim 1 , wherein the GUI comprises a custom GUI that allows a user to adjust parameters comprising one or more of waveform, amplitude, phase, frequency, offset, phase, sampling rate delay time, type of signal, and processor output channel of the preamp level vibrational signal output. 
     
     
         3 . The vibrational system according to  claim 1 , wherein the GUI comprises a custom GUI which allows a user to adjust amplitude and frequency parameters of vibration needed to elicit a perceived proprioceptive error in a particular study subject and for particular muscles of the study subject. 
     
     
         4 . The vibrational system according to  claim 1 , wherein the GUI comprises a custom GUI which allows a user to fine tune and personalize vibration parameters adjusted for different muscle groups, body types, and experimental paradigms. 
     
     
         5 . The vibrational system according to  claim 1 , wherein the vibrational tactor comprises one or more of a linear actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, or other controllable vibrational device. 
     
     
         6 . The vibrational system according to  claim 1 , wherein the amplifier comprises an audio amplifier. 
     
     
         7 . The vibrational system according to  claim 6 , wherein the audio amplifier has a power output rating of at least 20 W, and has at least 2 channels. 
     
     
         8 . The vibrational system according to  claim 1 , wherein the GUI comprises a custom GUI and the processor comprises a LabVIEW-enabled programmable processor. 
     
     
         9 . The vibrational system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of respective actuators for receiving a respective amplified signal from the amplifier while positioned on respective selected areas of a corresponding plurality of study subjects;   wherein the amplifier comprises an audio amplifier having at least a corresponding plurality of channels; and   the data acquisition processor selectively outputs a plurality of respective preamp level vibrational signals having respective user-determined parameters, so that selected vibrational interactions can simultaneously be applied to at least one of different study subject individuals and to different muscles.   
     
     
         10 . The vibrational system according to  claim 1 , wherein the tactor comprises a linear actuator having a diameter of no larger than about 1.2 inches, and a weight of no more than about 30 grams, adapted for being worn on a subject's lower back. 
     
     
         11 . The vibrational system according to  claim 1 , wherein the GUI comprises a custom GUI which allows a user to adjust frequency in a range from 60 to 100 Hz. 
     
     
         12 . A study system integrated in a single platform software, for conducting proprioceptive impairment study for human sensorimotor studies of movement control and proprioceptive impairment on movement, comprising:
 a vibrational system according to  claim 1 ; and   at least one of an electrogoniometer for measuring joint position of a human study subject, an Electromyography (EMG) for monitoring muscle activity of a human study subject, and a force sensor and a load cell for pressure sensing and unidirectional force measuring of a human study subject;   wherein the study system allows a study user to use the vibrational system to control waveforms, frequency, and amplitude of vibrations for use with different individuals and muscles in a study, requiring different parameters to create proprioceptive error.   
     
     
         13 . A methodology for providing a vibrational system for use in a proprioceptive impairment study, comprising:
 selectively outputting a preamp level vibrational signal having user-determined parameters;   controllably amplifying the preamp level vibrational signal; and   actuating a vibrational tactor with the amplified signal while the tactor is positioned on a selected area of a study subject, for conduct of a proprioceptive impairment study.   
     
     
         14 . The methodology according to  claim 13 , further comprising using a custom graphic user interface (GUI) to allow a user to adjust parameters of the preamp level vibrational signal, such parameters comprising one or more of waveform, amplitude, phase, frequency, offset, phase, sampling rate delay time, type of signal, with such adjustments made as needed to elicit a perceived proprioceptive error in a particular study subject and for particular muscles of the study subject. 
     
     
         15 . The methodology according to  claim 14 , further comprising using the custom GUI to allow a user to fine tune and personalize vibration parameters adjusted for different muscle groups, body types, and experimental paradigms. 
     
     
         16 . The methodology according to  claim 13 , wherein the vibrational tactor comprises one or more of a linear actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, or other controllable vibrational device. 
     
     
         17 . The methodology according to  claim 13 , wherein controllably amplifying comprises using an audio amplifier. 
     
     
         18 . The methodology according to  claim 17 , wherein the audio amplifier has a power output rating of at least 20 W, and has at least 2 channels. 
     
     
         19 . The methodology according to  claim 14 , further comprising using the custom GUI for inputting parameters into a data acquisition programmable processor. 
     
     
         20 . The methodology according to  claim 14 , further comprising providing a plurality of respective actuators for receiving a respective amplified signal while positioned on respective selected areas of a corresponding plurality of study subjects, with each respective amplified signal having respective user-determined parameters, so that selected vibrational interactions can simultaneously be applied to at least one of different study subject individuals and to different muscle spots. 
     
     
         21 . The methodology according to  claim 13 , wherein the tactor comprises a linear actuator having a diameter of no larger than about 1.2 inches, and a weight of no more than about 30 grams, adapted for being worn on a subject's lower back. 
     
     
         22 . A study system methodology integrated in a single platform software, for conducting proprioceptive impairment study for human sensorimotor studies of movement control and proprioceptive impairment on movement, comprising:
 using a methodology for providing a vibrational system according to  claim 13 , together with using at least one of an electrogoniometer for measuring joint position activities of a human study subject, an Electromyography (EMG) for monitoring muscle movement activities of a human study subject, and a force sensor and a load cell for pressure sensing and unidirectional force measuring of a human study subject;   wherein the study system methodology allows a study user to control waveforms, frequency, and amplitude of vibrations for use with different individuals and muscles in a study requiring different parameters to create proprioceptive error for different individuals in the study.